


just a machine

by burnthesocks



Series: socks' RK1700 december [7]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Ficlet, M/M, Machine Upgraded Connor | RK900, Poor Connor, RK17cember, Unrequited Love, Upgraded Connor | RK900 Has Feelings, its lowkey but its there
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-07
Updated: 2020-12-07
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:43:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 418
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27943223
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/burnthesocks/pseuds/burnthesocks
Summary: Connor has a hard time accepting Nines as he really is.
Relationships: Connor/Upgraded Connor | RK900
Series: socks' RK1700 december [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2033095
Comments: 2
Kudos: 26
Collections: RK1700 December 2020





	just a machine

**Author's Note:**

> (day seven, prompt: machine)

Connor tried. He really did, but Nines’ anti-deviancy software was far too strong for anyone to get through. Nines didn’t see the problem with it, carrying out orders from the DPD with little pay and no complaint. It broke Connor a little to see Nines deal with Gavin on a daily basis, tormenting him, and yet Nines hardly showed any emotion.

Hardly, but he did.

Connor noticed it almost right away. He figured he was the only one to notice that Nines did have something, a person locked away behind several walls of programming. He could see it in Nines’ microexpressions. In the way that his mouth would twitch downward after a particularly nasty comment from Gavin and there seemed to be genuine hurt in his icy eyes for just a moment before his expression was schooled into something neutral.

Connor made the mistake of bringing it up with him.

“Nines?” Connor had said, approaching the android who sat at his desk, fingers typing quickly.

“What is it?” To Connor’s surprise, Nines stopped working to look up at him. The way Nines’ mouth twitched was not lost on Connor.

“Can we speak in private?” Connor’s eyes glanced over at Gavin, who sneered at him. Connor grimaced in distaste and gave Gavin his middle finger.

“I don’t see why not,” Nines said, standing up promptly and tucking his chair into his desk. Connor let his hand fall back to his side and led the way to the break room, which was luckily empty. Connor sat on top of the counter and Nines stood awkwardly. “What did you want to speak to me about?”

“Um.” Connor realized he hadn’t actually planned the words he was going to say, only had spun thoughts around his head that were now lost as he searched for them. Connor reached his hand out, opening an interface with Nines to hopefully convey how he felt since he couldn’t form the words. Nines’ eyebrows furrowed and his synthskin came back over the black of his chassis.

“I don’t get it, Connor,” Nines said, peering at Connor in confusion. “I’m just a machine.”

“Just a… right.” Connor ran a hand through his hair, curls falling in his face. “Nevermind, I’m sorry for wasting your time,” Connor muttered quickly and walked out of the room before Nines could get another word out. Behind him, Nines stood, his LED red as he looked desperately beyond a sturdy red wall.

Connor felt like an idiot for even bothering to ask.


End file.
